Treating Rice Plants with Zeolite Soil Addition and Foliar Application of Potassium Silicate to Mitigate The Expected Water Scarcity in North Nile Delta, Egypt

Due to limited water resources in Egypt, the researchers should find various ways to save irrigation water without a reduction in rice yield. So, two field experiments were conducted to evaluate the impact of three irrigation intervals as main plots [ irrigation every 6, 8 and 10 days], three addition levels of zeolite as sub-plots [0.0 (without addition), 7.0 and 10.0 ton fed^-1], foliar application of potassium silicate as sub-sub plots [0.0 (without foliar application)  and  2.0 g K₂SiO₃ L^-1] and their interactions on performance and yield of rice plant. Also, post-harvest soil analysis was done. The results indicated that water stress (irrigation every 8 and 10 days) led to raising phenol content and superoxide dismutase activity in rice plant leaves, while zeolite and potassium silicate led to a decline of the plant's requirement from these antioxidants. Both zeolite and potassium silicate beneficially affected rice growth, yield and its components. Soil addition of zeolite at rate of 7.0 and 10 ton fed^-1 before sowing under watering rice plants every 8 days realized better results for growth, yield and its components than non- soil addition of zeolite under watering every 6 days (traditional irrigation) in presence and absence of K₂SiO₃. Usage of zeolite improved soil total porosity, CEC and FC values.It can be concluded that both potassium silicate as a foliar application and zeolite amendment represents an attractive option to mitigate the expected water scarcity.